Sydney Fringe director Patrick Kennedy pushes for year-round indie theatre hub

Patrick Kennedy, Festival Director of Sydney Fringe, aims to transform the festival into a year-round advocate for independent artists. He inherited the role from Kerri Glasscock and now oversees the 2025 edition featuring over 2,000 artists across 350+ events at 64 venues throughout September. Kennedy emphasizes audience growth and sector development, noting a 12% increase in paid ticket sales last year and a 100% increase in advance sales for 2025. New initiatives include the KXT Pipeline Award, a partnership with KXT on Broadway guaranteeing a funded season for one production, and the Fringe Reviewer Lab with ArtsHub. Kennedy is also developing a business case for a permanent year-round Sydney Fringe venue, citing unused buildings in the city. He continues his own artistic practice, directing Richard Foreman's Paradise Hotel at Newtown's New Theatre later this year. The festival runs 1–30 September.